An Eyepatch's Limits
by JPStudios
Summary: Ken Kaneki now has a family, and is content to live as a human. However, there are many who want to prevent that from happening. Does Kaneki have the power to protect everyone he loves, or will this protagonist's story really be. . . "a tragedy"? Set in a world where Anteiku is never raided, and its members are allowed to live in peace.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! Yeah, I know. It's been a while. I actually have the latest chapter of my other fanfiction written, but it looks kind of half-assed. I don't want to give you guys garbage. So, until I regain some inspiration for that story, I'm putting it on hold and starting this new project. Ever since I finished Tokyo Ghoul, I've been stuck on it. So I decided to try my hand at something new. Hope you guys like it. Enjoy!**

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"Daddy? Daaaddddyyyyy?"

Ken Kaneki jerked out of his day dream. He turned around, and looked down at the little girl talking to him. She had black hair, and a playful smile. Kaneki smiled at his five year old daughter and lowered himself to her height.

"Yes, Karena?" he said, a bright smile on his face. Karena gave him her toothy grin, then frowned at him, in a mock serious expression.

"You were far away again daddy. Where were you? Were you keeping the monsters away again?" she asked, looking at him with her bright blue eyes. Kaneki thought about his answer.

"Yes I was. You're a smart little girl, you know?" he said, rising. Karena nodded, smiling.

"You always say that, daddy. But when is mommy coming home?" she asked. Kaneki ran a hand through his silver white hair.

"Well, aren't we full of questions today? Mommy will be here soon. She had to go get our dinner!" he said, picking her up. Karena frowned. She looked like she was about to ask another question, but just then, the door opened.

"Mommmyyyy!" Karena leapt out of her father's arms and ran to her mother. Laughing Kaneki turned to greet the slender, blue-haired woman that was his wife.

"Welcome back, Touka," he said. His wife smiled at him and picked up Karena.

"I see the house has been magically cleaned! Did you do this, Karena?" she asked, tickling her daughter. Karena chuckled.

"Nope, daddy did it all by himself! Isn't he the best?" she crowed. Touka looked at Kaneki, feigning awe.

"Impossible, Ken Kaneki, the man who would once walk around all week in the same clothes cleaned a house?" She went to kiss her husband. Even though they had only been married for a year, they could read each other like an open book. They were both incredibly young, however. Kaneki was twenty five, while Touka was twenty two.

Kaneki smiled, then went to go check that the door was locked behind Touka. Although they lived in the 20'th Ward, right next to Anteiku, one could never guess what kind of monsters lurked outside.

Kaneki frowned, then put his hand in his pocket. He took it out, and looked at the mask he always kept with him. "The Eyepatch," the world called him. An incredibly dangerous ghoul. If only his enemies could see how soft he really was. No matter. He clenched his fist.

No matter how many people tried to exterminate him and those he loved…

He would protect everyone.

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 **Sorry for the short chapter. Wanted to get it out there. By the way, I'm still working on my other project, so don't lose hope, Zelda lovers. See you all soon, I hope!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Spending a few days on each chapter to give you guys the best reading experiences I can possible give. Hope you appreciate it! Well, here you go. See you at the end!**

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Kaneki and Touka walked across the street to Anteiku with their daughter. They were greeted by the owner, Yoshimura.

"Why, hello there. How are we all today?" he said, walking over from the counter.

"All's well here, sir. Just thought I'd bring Karena to work with us today. You don't mind, do you?" Kaneki answered, shaking the old manager's hand warmly.

"Not at all. Come, Karena. You can stay with Hinami upstairs. As for you two, you'd better get ready. We'll be opening soon."

Kaneki and Touka both put their aprons on, then got ready for any customers that might be coming. It wasn't long before people, both human and ghoul, started to steadily stream inside.

Kaneki served coffee to all that asked. Once upon a time, Kaneki would have dropped a few cups in haste, but now he was almost as quick and orderly as the manager himself. The only unnatural sound to be heard in the coffee shop was the occasional crack.

At first, Touka didn't notice. But eventually, she noticed that it was a constant cracking noise. She looked to find the source, then realized where it was coming from. She saw Kaneki raise his right hand slowly, and press his thumb down on his index finger quickly, cracking it. She quickly called him out on it.

"Will you stop doing that?!" she hissed at him. Kaneki raised an eyebrow at her.

"Doing what?" he asked, honestly confused. Touka stamped her foot impatiently.

"That stupid thing with your finger!" she said, trying to mimic the motion. She failed. After a few moments, Kaneki's eyes lit up with understanding.

"Oh, you mean this!" he exclaimed, cracking the finger again.

"Yes, that! It's annoying! It wouldn't matter if it was only once in a while, but how can you crack it so often?" she asked, exasperated. Joints could not be cracked that often. Her husband thought about his answer, before speaking.

"When we crack our joints, we're displacing liquids in our joints, popping the bubbles inside the liquids. I suppose, since I'm a ghoul, the joint quickly fixes itself, letting me crack it again and again." He seemed delighted to have found an answer.

"Well just stop it, okay?" she asked. To her surprise, Kaneki shook his head.

"I don't think I can, Touka. When I was tortured all those years ago, Yamori would do the same thing. Now, it seems I've picked up his habit. I'll try to stop, for you Touka, but I can't promise anything." Touka was warmed by his pleas.

"Oh fine. Just try, you fool," she said, planting a kiss on his cheek. Unfortunately for them, they were not unseen.

"None of that in front of the customers, you two!" Nishiki called over, smirking. Touka glared at him, grabbing the broom.

"You wanna say that to my face, you bastard?!" she yelled at him, much to Kaneki's chagrin.

And so the day went.

Right before quitting time, Yomo asked Kaneki and Touka to follow him down to the basement. They obliged him, and soon, they were in an open area. Kaneki remembered it all too well. It was where Touka and Yomo had taught him to fight. It was also where Touka had broken his finger. Kaneki grimaced at the memory.

"Well, now that we're here, I had to tell you both something incredibly important. You have a child now, and that is already a miracle. Even though she is only ¼ human, by all means, Touka should have absorbed her into her body. But since that has not happened, I need to make sure that both of you have the power to protect your daughter," Yomo started, taking off his coat and throwing it on the ground.

"So, the manager has asked me to test your strength once more. Touka, you first. Come at me with everything you have, and strike me down." Touka had expected something like that, so she took off her vest and tie, preparing to fight. Kaneki stepped back, leaning against the wall. It had been quite some time since he had seen Touka or Yomo fight. This would be interesting.

Touka sprinted forward, fists clenched. She threw two quick punches, which Yomo easily dodged. Within seconds, Yomo was on the other side of the room. Touka turned, smirking.

"Fast as ever, huh? Well then, I guess I'll have to get serious!" Touka yelled. Her lone wing shot out of her back as she ran towards Yomo, and her sclerae turned black as her kakugan revealed itself. She fired innumerable shards at him, which he dodged again and again. But to her confusion, he never attacked.

"Touka! Like this, you'll never be able to protect your daughter!" he yelled, rushing at her. He struck her in the side with a powerful kick, sending her flying. Kaneki winced, imagining the pain.

Yelling in anger, Touka tried to strike Yomo with her kagune, but to no avail. He simply ignored the slash that appeared on his arm and punched her, burying his fist in her stomach. Despite herself, Touka cried out as she stumbled back. Kaneki twitched.

In a flurry of movement, Touka found herself on the ground, looking up at her attacker. What she saw was Kaneki holding Yomo's fist in his hand, preventing the tall ghoul from going further.

"I think that's enough, Yomo. You've proved your point," Kaneki said, a slight edge to his voice. The edges of Yomo's lips twitched upward a bit.

"Very well. You can go sit over there, Touka. Let's see how your husband fares!" And just like that, Yomo was gone. Kaneki didn't move.

Suddenly, Touka saw Yomo rush at Kaneki with unimaginable speed. Yet still, Kaneki didn't move. Just when Yomo was inches away from the white-haired ghoul, Kaneki disappeared. Yomo stopped moving, looking around. Seeing Kaneki on the other side of the room, he charged again.

They moved like this for a while: Yomo charging, Kaneki dodging. Then suddenly, Yomo stepped back, unleashing his kagune. Two large black wings sprouted from his back. Kaneki smiled.

"Well, this is new. In all the times we've fought, you've never shown me your kagune." How could Kaneki be so nonchalant?

Yomo sent an incredible number of crystallized shards at Kaneki. He ran at Yomo, avoiding all of the projectiles. Within moments, Kaneki stood in front of Yomo, looking up at the tall ghoul. It took Yomo a moment to realize where Kaneki was. When he did, his eyes widened slightly, and he stepped back.

The battle was over, without Kaneki ever having to land a blow.

"I was wrong to question your power, Kaneki. You're family is in good hands," he said, admitting defeat. Kaneki smiled, patting Yomo on the back.

"Don't look so down, Yomo. You got my blood rushing there. C'mon, let's go get Karena."

And so saying, he grabbed Touka's hand and went back upstairs, leaving a dumbfounded Yomo standing there, until finally, the stoic ghoul smiled and follow them.

* * *

 **Well, looks like you guys got a scientific education there too. No need to thank me. But seriously, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. See you all later!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Not much to say here, except that things are starting to heat up. For some strange reason, I have an urge to start another project, but I won't over extend myself. I'll wait until I finish this one. Enjoy!**

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The door of the coffee shop slammed open just as Kaneki sat down to have a cup of coffee. He spun around to see none other than Tsukiyama at the door.

"Sacré bleu! Doves!" he gasped, out of breath. Kaneki stood up, walking over to his slightly cannibalistic friend.

"Investigators? Are you sure, Shuu?" he asked, closing the door behind the gourmet.

"Absolutely positive. I was simply taking a stroll around the area and what do I find? A man and a woman, both carrying brief cases. So, being the inquisitive fellow I am, I followed them," he said, quickly catching his breath.

"And?" Kaneki asked patiently.

"I even confronted them at one point, with my mask of course. They were quite annoying. But unfortunately, they were both incredibly skilled, so I left well enough alone and fled." Kaneki groaned.

"Idiot! They'll have recognized you as the Gourmet! Now they'll never leave. Ugh, I'll fix this," Kaneki said, walking past Shuu to the door. The blue-haired man turned to Kaneki.

"What do you intend to do, my tasty little friend?" Kaneki shivered as Shuu called him 'tasty.'

"What do you think? They've already seen an S rated ghoul here. I think it'd be rude if I didn't welcome them as well."

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It didn't take long to find them. Kaneki knew all the street corners and back alleys of the 20'th Ward. He was on top of a building, wearing his battle suit and mask. Shuu was right about the details though. It was a black haired man and a blond woman. What were they doing here, though? He wasn't going to find out just standing here. He dropped down, in an alleyway, right behind the investigators.

They turned around quickly, obviously shocked. They weren't the only ones. Kaneki took a step back when he realized who it was.

It was the investigator that Kaneki had first faced! The same one that had stopped him from eating that man in Kanou's lab. It seemed that the investigator recognized him as well, even though it had been a few years since they had last seen each other.

"Eyepatch?" the man inquired, taking a step forward. Kaneki nodded, silent. The woman's eyes widened.

"The Eyepatch?! Amon, isn't he SS rated?" she exclaimed, raising her briefcase. Kaneki's eyes flashed. So his name was Amon. He filed that information away for later. Meanwhile, the investigator answered.

"He is. At least he was when we last fought. Now, who knows?" he said, pressing a button on the briefcase, unleashing his quinque. It was basically a staff, with a giant red cylinder on one end. Kaneki raised a hand.

"I'm not here to fight. I just came here to ask a question. What's a pair of investigators like you doing in the 20'th Ward?" Amon smirked, brandishing his quinque.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" And just like that, he ran at the white-haired ghoul. Kaneki readied himself.

Jumping up into the air, Kaneki grabbed onto the wall, intending to climb. However, his plans were quickly ruined. From the corner of his eye, he saw the woman release her quinque, a long whip like weapon. She attacked Kaneki, and the whip reached him. He quickly leapt off the wall, avoiding the sharp long-ranged weapon. How far could that thing extend?

He ran at Amon, leaping in the air and kicking the investigator in the side, pushing him back a few paces. But at that moment, the whip struck Kaneki, opening a small wound on his left arm. The ghoul stepped back, angry. He restrained himself, however. He didn't want to kill anyone. He cracked his finger.

In a flash of speed, he sprinted towards the woman, knocking the whip out of her hand. Before he could go further, Amon was behind him. Unable to dodge quickly enough, Kaneki used his arms to block the blow from his staff. Even so, he was launched back into the wall, both arms broken.

He looked at them, an expression of annoyance on his face. What a bother! He quickly snapped them back into place, then looked back at the investigators. Amon was in front of him, bringing down another blow. Kaneki leapt to the side, dodging the attack. A single tentacle shot out of his lower back.

The kagune slashed at Amon, striking too fast to dodge or block. It sliced through the investigator's chest, leaving a deep gash. Grunting, Amon stumbled back. The woman ran at Kaneki, wielding the whip that she had reclaimed. Once she was close enough, the tentacle grabbed the whip, and she was pulled towards Kaneki.

"That whip isn't too useful when you're this close, is it?" Kaneki whispered, the tentacle tightening around her wrist. Suddenly, from the other side of the whip's hilt, a blade shot out, completely running through his chest. Gasping, he threw the woman back, clutching at his chest.

"No, but that was," she said, a smug look on her face. Kaneki couldn't stop himself now. The sclera of his visible eye turned completely black as his kakugan revealed itself. Yelling in rage, two more red tentacles exploded from behind him. He ran at the female investigator. Amon stepped in front of her, his quinque held up in a defensive position.

"Get out of my WAY!" he yelled, bringing his three kagune down on him. He was blown into the air, landing a few meters away, completely dazed. Before the woman could respond, a tentacle wrapped around her, pinned her arms to her sides. She struggled, but it was useless.

The realization hit her. She was going to die. Surprising the ghoul, the strong-willed woman's eyes started to fill with tears of sadness and horror.

"None of that now. You had this coming to you!" Kaneki said, bringing his third kagune to rest right in front of her, the pointed end inches away from her face. She closed her eyes, waiting for death. The tentacles around her tightened. . .

Then they loosened, letting her fall to the ground. Kaneki's three kagune retracted back into his lower back.

"I meant what I said the first time we met, Investigator Amon. Don't make me a murderer."

And just like that, he was gone.

Amon ran to Akira, making sure she wasn't hurt. Luckily, she wasn't too badly injured. She opened her eyes.

"Amon? Did he kill you too?" Amon smiled, and shook his head.

"No, we're alive. He let you live," he muttered, helping her to her feet. Akira looked very much confused.

"He let me go? But why would a ghoul do that for a human?" she asked, perplexed. Amon shrugged.

"He did the same for me, all those years ago when I first met him. But it doesn't matter. Now that we know he's here, we need to scope out this Ward more carefully."

The two investigators put away their quinques, and proceeded to their vehicle, intending on driving back to headquarters to share their reports.

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 **There you go! Another chapter up and running. Hope you guys enjoyed it! Please, review it if you did (or even if you didn't). 'Til we meet again!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again, dear readers! I've gotten a few reviews, and I must say, you've put me in a compromising position for sure! I had already planned to use this chapter to delve a bit deeper into Kaneki's family, but now that I've said that, I'm sure some of you will think, "Well he's only saying that 'cause he's proud, and he doesn't want to admit that he missed something." (And yes, I'm a guy.) But guess what? I'm saying it anyway! Now enough ranting! Let's do this!**

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Touka paced around the house, while Karena sat on the floor, wondering why her mother was acting so weird.

"Where could that idiot be?" she muttered. She was there when Tsukiyama came in and said that there were Doves around. And just like that, her husband got up and left, without even saying a word to her. The nerve of that bastard!

She loved him to death, but he could be a complete dumbass at times. He was stuck on being the hero. He wanted to protect everyone. When would he start to understand that it was impossible? He just wasn't strong enough!

She was still deep in thought when the door opened. She turned, and there he was. His mask was around his neck, and his battle suit was torn. There were scratches all over him. But what concerned her more was the amount of blood on his chest. It was almost completely healed, but the wound continued to bleed.

Even so, his expression was completely blank, almost sorrowful. She ran at him. Kaneki was expecting her to fret over his wounds, or even his clothing.

He should've known better.

He was greeted by a powerful punch in the face, sending him stumbling backwards and into the wall. It didn't hurt too terribly, but the shock of it stung him more.

"You idiot! What happened to you?!" she yelled, stepping forward. Kaneki rubbed his cheek.

"I found the two investigators. I didn't want to fight, but they left me no choice. In the end, I did manage to escape, leaving both of them alive," he said, walking past her to Karena, and picking her up. Touka shook her head in disapproval, both at Kaneki's behaviour, and the fact that he was holding Karena while still covered in blood.

"How can you be so dead set on being the hero?" she said softly. Kaneki frowned.

"I thought it would be obvious," he whispered, cracking his finger loudly. Touka clenched her fists.

"Well it's not! So explain it to me!" she yelled, startling Karena. Kaneki looked at her, before putting their daughter down.

"Back when I had first become a ghoul, I realized something that I can't let go. I let too many people down. Too many died because I was too weak to save them. I had to become stronger. That was the only way to protect everyone," he said, looking at his bloodstained hands. Touka walked towards him.

"Kaneki, listen to me. I fell in love with the old Kaneki. I fell in love with that black-haired idiot who wouldn't harm a fly. But I married you because I believed you could still change. And I still do. Where's the old you?" she asked, holding his hand tightly. Kaneki looked at her, a sad smile on his face.

"He's still here, somewhere. I'm still the same man. The only difference is that I'm not as weak as I was. Now, I won't just sit here as my friends and family are slaughtered. Tell me, Touka, if and when the Doves come to kill us, when they come to kill our daughter, will you want me to stand there and do nothing?" he asked, looking her in the eyes. Touka wrapped her arms around her husband, her tears mixing with his blood.

"No, Kaneki. If they come, I want you to protect Karena with all your power. But until that day comes, come back to me, Kaneki Ken," she sobbed. He looked down at her, and gently put his fingers under her chin, lifting her face to his. He kissed her in response, wrapping his arms around her in turn.

They stood there for a few moments, before their daughter jolted them out of their embrace.

"Eww, mommy! Daddy!" She scrunched up her face and crossed her arms. "Not in front of me!"

Laughing, Kaneki lifted her up again, kissing her forehead.

"Sorry, Karena. But this is the only way your mother and I are going to get through this," he said, smiling. Then, Karena did something entirely unexpected. She bent down, and licked some of the blood off of Kaneki's face. Both Kaneki and Touka were dumbfounded.

"You're yummy, daddy!" Karena exclaimed. Nothing happened for a few moments. Touka didn't know whether to scold her or laugh. Kaneki solved the problem. He started chuckling. Within moments, he was on the ground, laughing uncontrollably.

"Why, thank you, Karena!" he burst, struggling to breathe. Touka put a hand on her face, smiling.

"You're both idiots!" she exclaimed, starting to walk away. Out of nowhere, the laughter stopped, replaced by an eerie silence. Touka stopped, then turned around.

Both Kaneki and Karena were looking at Touka, frowning, the exact same expression on both of their faces. It didn't take long before they were all on the floor, laughing.

The day grew late. Eventually, all three of them had to go to bed. After being forced to wash by Touka, Kaneki lay in bed. Kaneki was in the middle, with a sleeping Karena on one side, and Touka on the other, her head on his chest.

It wasn't long before Touka was asleep as well. Kaneki lay there, pondering everything that had happened that day. Even when he had gotten angry, he had been able to hold back against the investigators. But something still wasn't right. Everything was too calm. He had no doubt that the investigators would return, possibly with an army at their backs. And he also had to worry about Aogiri. They were still a threat. Both sides wanted the Eyepatch gone, and they wouldn't hesitate to kill any family he had as well.

And Kaneki had to face the greatest fear he had. What if he wasn't strong enough? What if, like so many other times, he was forced to watch those he loved die in front of him. What if, in their final moments, they called to him for help, and he was unable to do anything? Tears started to well up in his eyes.

No. No. _No_! He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't, he _wouldn't_! No one would take away his right to live! Even if he had to face Aogiri and the CCG all at once, he would protect everyone he cared about.

Deep in these thoughts, he sunk into sleep. Into dreams of rabbits and centipedes.

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 **Man, I didn't think I had it in me. Well, just thought I'd get this out there. Hope you enjoyed it. Kaneki may be right. The calm is unsettling. It can't last forever. But when the storm comes, will he have the strength to back up his words? Who knows? But, if you've enjoyed the story so far, please review it! Ciao!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Not much to say here. I'm sorry for not posting. Rough weekend. The storm approaches.**

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 _993… 986… 979… 972…_

Kaneki woke up with a start, in a cold sweat. He had an irresistible urge to look at his fingers and toes. Sure enough, they were there, completely normal. Even after all this time, he still thought about it. He cracked his finger and got up, leaving Touka and Karena still sleeping.

He went to the kitchen to prepare some coffee, before it was time for them to get up and go to work. He was filling a pitcher with water when a voice spoke behind him.

"So, this is what you've been doing all this time." Kaneki, never one to show shock, turned around, a serious expression on his face. There, standing in the living room, was Ayato.

He wore a heavy black jacket, and thin pants, but the most prominent feature was the look of sadness on his face. Kaneki nodded. It had been a long time since he had seen Touka's brother. 103 bones ago.

"Yes. Do you need something from me, Ayato?" he inquired. He bore no grudge against the blue-haired ghoul. After all, in the end, he had really been protecting his sister, albeit in a rough manner.

"I wouldn't be here otherwise. I was relieved when the old man told me where to find you. Since you haven't been up to much, I thought maybe you'd left Tokyo or died," he muttered. Kaneki smiled.

"Where would I go? I can't leave this place." Ayato looked up at him.

"So, you and my sister, huh? I should've known. I remember when I first brought you to Aogiri, and all you would ask is 'is Touka okay?'" he said, chuckling a bit. Kaneki stepped towards the ghoul.

"Come, Ayato. I want to show you something," he said, walking towards his room. Ayato followed. When they reached it, Kaneki gestured to the bed. Ayato looked, and almost couldn't believe what he saw. There on the bed. His sister. And a child? Wide eyed, he looked at Kaneki.

"Is it…?" He started, unable to continue. Kaneki put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ayato, I'd like you to meet your niece, Karena," he said, walking away again. After a few moments, Ayato followed, his eyes slightly misty.

"I can't believe it, Eyepatch. You and Touka…" Kaneki shook his head.

"Call me Kaneki. Now, seriously, what do you need from me, Ayato?" he said, suddenly serious. Ayato suddenly became grim.

"It's Aogiri. They're at it again. The Doves have really cracked down on us. Hard. So it's been decided that we're going to give it our all in one last battle. They're making their way here, hoping that the CCG meets them in the 20'th Ward." Kaneki frowned, crossing his arms. But Ayato wasn't finished.

"No doubt the Doves have noticed our movements. Without a doubt, they're going to fight us here. They could wait where they are, but they'll come to the 20'th Ward because there are no powerful ghouls here. They don't want too many ghouls joining the battle against them, so they chose the peaceful Ward. No doubt they'll evacuate this all the people here soon," he said, running his hand through his hair. Kaneki cracked his finger, and started pacing.

"Well, thanks for the tip. But I know what you really want from me. I can't do it, Ayato. I have a family. I can't leave them. They need me." Ayato clenched his fist, trying hard not to yell. Instead, he hissed at the white-haired ghoul.

"No, dumbass! If you don't fight, the battle won't end here. I don't even care anymore. The CCG can kill all of Aogiri, including me, for all I care. But my sister needs to live. If the CCG wins, they'll come for every ghoul in Tokyo. They'll kill Touka! They'll kill your daughter! Do you want that, Eyepatch?!" He grabbed Kaneki by the shoulders, shaking him. Kaneki remained emotionless.

"Ayato, they won't die. I'm going with them. I'll take all of Anteiku with me. I will protect them," he whispered, prying Ayato off.

"You think you can take on the whole CCG? You wouldn't stand a chance!" Suddenly, his face whitened slightly.

"You don't know, do you?" he whispered, and Kaneki actually raised an eyebrow. Ayato continued.

"There's a Dove in there, Eyepatch. He's a human, but he's killed more of our kind than I could eat in a lifetime. He's the Shinigami, the Death God of the CCG. Even the One-Eyed Owl doesn't want to take him on." Kaneki's eyes widened slightly.

"Impossible. But I swear, Ayato, I will protect my family. Now go, you need to go prepare yourself," Kaneki said, gesturing to the door. Ayato walked away, but stopped.

"Damn you, Kaneki. Three days. That's all the time you've got. Then, you'll really see what you've done."

And he was gone.

Kaneki finished making the coffee. Then, he quickly left the house, running to Anteiku. He sprinted up the stairs, and slammed the door open.

The manager was there, cleaning the counter. Looking up with a frown, his expression quickly changed when he saw that it was Kaneki.

"Hello there, Ka…" he started, but he was quickly interrupted by the other ghoul.

"No time, sir! There's something very important that I need to tell you."

He told the manager everything that had happened. When he finished, Yoshimura looked very upset. He put a hand on Kaneki's shoulder.

"Come, Kaneki. There is something I need to give you." Confused, Kaneki followed Yoshimura downstairs, into the same room where he had fought Yomo.

"Now Kaneki, if what you said is correct, then both the CCG and Aogiri Tree will be here within three days. You have a small window of opportunity to leave this ward. Will you take it?" he asked, calmly. Kaneki thought about his answer.

"I don't know anymore. I want to run away with my family, but a part of me wants to stay and fight. But even if I stay, I don't know who to fight for. They're both my enemies," he said, throwing his hands up in defeat. The old man smiled.

"You fight to make this world right, Kaneki. You are a one-eyed ghoul. You have the power to back up your statements. You can change this sick, twisted world. But as you are now, you are not strong enough. So, I have something for you."

Before Kaneki could react, Yoshimura was enveloped in a thick, cloak-like armor. Kaneki stepped back, expecting the worse. Why was the manager unleashing his kakuja?

"Do not be alarmed, Kaneki. You must become stronger. So, I must ask you to devour my kakuja." Suddenly, the chest was ripped apart, and the manager stepped out of the giant beast body.

Kaneki breathed a sigh of relief. He was not expected to actually eat the manager. It took him an hour to eat the whole body, but eventually he was done.

He expected to feel different, but nothing had changed. He questioned the manager about this. He was answered with a smile.

"Do not worry about that, young one. The power will come to you when you truly need it. After all, you need to digest it all before it becomes a part of you. Now, I must tell you one more thing before you go." He walked up to Kaneki, and put his lips to the young ghoul's ears.

"No matter how strong you become, do not lose yourself, Kaneki. Even though it was so long ago, I can still see the scars of your torture. Scars that will never heal. Unless you wish to become a ruthless monster, you must control your power. Remember, you are the master." And, saying that, he walked away, leaving Kaneki in the room alone.

He went home, finding Touka and Karena in the living room, the former sipping at her coffee, while the latter was on the floor, playing with toys. Touka looked up at her husband.

"Where'd you go, Kaneki? Did you need something?" she inquired, standing up. Kaneki nodded.

"We need to leave the 20'th Ward, Touka. Both the CCG and Aogiri are coming to fight each other, and this is their battleground." There, he said it. Short, and to the point.

"What?! How do you know?!" she gasped, spilling some coffee. Kaneki shrugged, putting a hand on his chin. Touka frowned.

"Fine, it doesn't matter anyway. Where are we going to go?" she asked, flustered. Again, Kaneki shrugged.

"I don't know. But I plan to take all of Anteiku with me, if they want. Maybe we'll go to another Ward," he said, thinking. Touka nodded, accepting the will of her husband. Kaneki quickly got changed into more comfortable clothes, then ran out of the house, looking to inform the other members of Anteiku. Meanwhile, Touka stayed at the house, packing for their flight.

Unbeknownst to her, however, another figure stood on the roof of the house, waiting for Kaneki to leave. It waited a little longer, to make sure he was really gone, then leapt from the roof, landing in front of the door. A hand knocked on the door, prompting a response from the owner of the house.

Touka went to the door, curious if Kaneki had come back so soon. She opened the door, but before she could see who had knocked, she was knocked backwards, through the wall leading into the dining room. She looked up to see her attacker. It was a girl wrapped in bandages. Before she could speak, the girl's kagune sprouted from her upper back, launching crystallized projectiles at Touka. Touka was completely overwhelmed, and fell, unable to protect herself. She coughed up blood. How had she been overpowered so quickly, and by one attack? Then, she heard her attacker speak.

"I've been told that my dear Kaneki refuses to fight. Well, I guess I'll have to force him. Oh, won't he be surprised when he comes home to find his wife in this state, and his daughter _missing_!" she laughed, grabbing Karena.

"Mommmmyyyyyy!" Touka's eyes widened.

"No, you can't take my daughter!" Touka ran at the girl, her kagune flapping wildly around her. She slashed at the girl with all her strength and speed, but to no avail. She just stepped away, faster than Touka could follow. Before she could react, the girl's kagune ran through her chest. Touka fell to the ground, unable to move.

"Well, this is unfortunate. I meant to let you live, but it's all up to Kaneki now. If he comes quick enough, you might survive. If not… well, you get the picture. If he asks who did this to you, please, tell him that it was the 'one he needs to save.' Goodbye!" she laughed hysterically, then disappeared, leaving behind only the echo of Karena's shrieks.

"No… You… can't take… her…" Touka whispered, sobbing. Eventually, her consciousness faded, and she lay there, unable to do anything but call for help.

"Kaneki…"

* * *

"Yes, we understand. We're on our way now," Amon answered over the phone, one hand on the steering wheel of the car. He hung up, looking at Akira.

"It looks like Aogiri is moving towards the 20'th. They're being uncharacteristically reckless. It seems that they're making a last stand. We're deploying the main force of the entire CCG to combat them," he said, in answer to her questioning glance. Akira nodded.

"Well, we need to go to headquarters anyway. We can't have these two with us on the front lines," she answered, gesturing to the two boys in the backseat. Seidou Takizawa, and Hideyoshi Nagachika. They gave each other an amused glance, before accepting that they would not be fighting.

But, as fate would have it, they would be.

The earth shook beneath the car as a huge form landed in front of the car. Amon slammed on the breaks, moving the car out of the way. A huge hand lifted itself, preparing to destroy the car.

"Get out!" Amon yelled, jumping out of the car. The others followed suit. The car was crushed beneath its hand. Amon looked at the attacker, and all the color was drained out of his face. It was the One-Eyed Owl.

For a moment, he couldn't move. But then, he knew his duty as an Investigator. He pressed a button on his briefcase, releasing his quinque. He stood in front of the others.

"Run, all of you! I'll slow the monster down!" He roared. They did as he said.

Only Akira made it, never looking back.

The two boys were grabbed by the Owl's hands. It shrieked in glee.

"I only wanted one Dove, but now I see that I can get three! Perfect!" It looked down at Amon. He was horrified, but he raised his weapon, running at the Owl. It raised it's hand, preparing to attack.

Amon struck.

 _How do those eyes that once reflected justice see the world now?_

* * *

 **Sorry for the lack of updates this weekend. I made up for it by putting up a longer chapter. A lot of heavy stuff going on here. A lot of foreshadowing. But please, don't spoil it if you know what's going on. As always, thanks for reading. Please review! See you later!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well, started writing. Let's see how this chapter goes. Enjoy!**

* * *

Kaneki walked out of Anteiku again, finally having warned everyone. All of them wanted to come with him. He was quite elated. He walked up the steps to his house, when he realized that the door was open. That was odd? He stepped inside.

There was blood all over the wall. This threw Kaneki into a panic. He quickly ran around the house, until he finally reached the dining room, where he found Touka, unconscious and bleeding heavily.

Without even thinking, he grabbed a piece of his shoulder and ripped it off, shoving it into her mouth. Sure enough, with the meat in her system, she began to heal. Slowly, but surely. He shook her awake. Her eyes fluttered open, settling on Kaneki. Before he could ask, she started talking incredibly quickly.

"Kaneki! She took Karena!" With a jolt, Kaneki realized that he hadn't seen his daughter around at all in his search. A hand of ice grabbed his heart.

"Who?!" he yelled, holding her in his arms.

"A girl wrapped in bandages. She said that she is the 'one you're supposed to save,' or something like that," she said, eyes wide with fear and despair. Kaneki's expression mirrored hers.

"Eto, the One-Eyed Owl…" Picking her up, he began to run back to the coffee shop. Within moments, he was at the door, kicking it open. Enji Koma and Kaya Irimi were both there. Luckily, the shop was closed for the day, so no one saw the bloody Touka.

"What happened here?!" they both exclaimed. Hadn't Kaneki just left? Kaneki set her down gently.

"The One-Eyed Owl came to my house and took Karena while I was away. Apparently, Touka tried to fight back," he answered quickly.

"Well, it looks like she's healing. I think she'll be alright," Irimi said, holding the blue-haired girl's hand. But Touka's expression said otherwise. Her face was extremely pale still.

"Karena… She ripped my little girl right out of my hands, and I couldn't do anything…" she muttered, eyes wide. Kaneki stood up, eyes blank.

"This is what it feels like, Touka. The despair felt when a loved one is taken, and you can't do anything to stop it. That's what made me this way." He walked to the window, staring outside.

"Don't worry anymore, Touka. You and the others need to leave," he said, not looking back. Touka sat up quickly, eyes widening.

"Us? What are you going to do?" she asked, although she already knew the answer. He turned to her, a sad smile on his face.

"What else? I'm going to save our daughter." Within seconds, Touka was up, running to her husband, embracing him fiercely.

"Kaneki, no! We'll all go! I've already lost one of my own. If you die, I won't be able to bear it! Kaneki, _please!_ " She yelled, gripping the fabric of his black shirt. Kaneki took hold of her, and lightly pushed her back.

"Take her to Yomo, and tell him not to let her out of his sight," he said, walking to the counter and grabbing a piece of paper. He had to think this out clearly. All of Anteiku couldn't accompany him. Yoshimura would be the best choice, but he needed to stay and watch the others. He had just committed Yomo to staying as well. Damn it, who could he bring?

Touka was dragged out, kicking and screaming. Kaneki never looked back at her, but left her with a few last words:

"Touka. Listen to me. I won't die. I _can't_ die. I'm going to protect everyone, and I'm going to get Karena back." Touka was indignant.

"Bullshit! All you're going to do is get yourself-" the door was slammed on her as she was led away.

"I'm sorry, Touka," Kaneki whispered, almost to himself. Then he went back to his plan. If he was honest with himself, he would probably die trying to rescue Karena. But he had to try. He couldn't just sit here and do _nothing!_ His solid composure broke for a moment, as the wood countertop cracked under his fist. This drew a reaction from Irimi and Koma. He turned to them.

"You two. You were always talking about how you needed to be punished for your crimes. Well, here's your chance. You will probably die helping me, so I should ask first. Will you help me?" he asked them, looking into both of their eyes. He was answered with a smirk on both sides.

"Of course, Kaneki. I'm sure The Black Dobers and Koma's monkeys will be glad to help you," Irimi chuckled, earning a glare from Koma. Kaneki almost smiled.

Almost.

Every instinct in his body was telling him to leave everyone and go after Karena that instant. But he knew that he would have a better chance in the upcoming battle.

"Alright then, let's go save my daughter."

* * *

Kaneki sat in the living from of his house, trying to hold back the torrent of emotions inside of him. He tried to sip at a cup of coffee, only to have it drop from his trembling hand, shattering on the ground. This triggered something within him. He was on the floor, shaking uncontrollably, throwing furniture around.

"Karena… Touka… No, don't cry… Please, I'm sorry… It's all my fault… My _**fault**_ … It's not too late… I can _**fix this**_ … Yes, all I need to do is _**kill**_ … Yes, go in there, and _**kill**_ … _**kill**_ … _**KILL**_!"

He crawled to the bathroom, twitching despite his desperate desire to stop. He lifted himself up, looking at himself in the mirror. His kakugan was active, the red orb in the center moving all round the black sclera. His lips were tilted upwards, and he was laughing maniacally.

"To _**devour the weak**_ is the right of the _**strong**_ … Who's the strong… ? _**979… 972… 965… I Am…**_ " Kaneki was still laughing, and he tried to crack his finger. Instead, in his mental state, he ended up snapping the bone. He didn't feel it. Within a few moments, it had healed.

" _ **Yesssss, we were born to compete…**_ No! It's better to be hurt than to hurt others… _**Do you really believe that, after all you've been through?**_ Yes! Yes! Yes! _**NO!**_ _**I can't say that… I'll never save Ryouko thinking like that… What will poor Hinami think…?**_ Ryouko… No, she's dead! _**Yessss, she's dead. And who was the only one there to save her…? It was you! It was me!**_ " Kaneki was in tears, looking at the mirror. He shattered it with one punch, much like when he had first become a ghoul.

"No… Please, don't… Do whatever you want with me, but leave the mother and child alone… Please… Don't kill Kouto… He never did anything wrong… _**Don't you see, you idiot?! They're all dead! Dead! Dead! DEAD! All because you had to hold onto your stupid morals and principals! What happened? You were perfect until now! You had everything in your head sorted out! Where did these questions come from?!**_ " Kaneki stopped his convulsions for a moment.

 _Where's the old Kaneki?_

 _He's still here, somewhere._

"I'm… a human… _**Don't start with that crap again! You already accepted that you're a ghoul. You're a GHOUL! What can a human do against the CCG, or Aogiri?! Do you want to see Touka killed?! Or Karena?! Do you want to see them ripped out of your grip, powerless to stop it?! Make up your mind, for the final time! WHAT ARE YOU?!**_ "

Suddenly, all was calm. Kaneki stood, picking up a piece of the mirror. His kakugan was still there, but it was strangely… calm. He suddenly found himself on the roof of the house, not knowing when or how he had gotten there, and not really caring. He felt something hot and cold at the same time slither out of his lower back. It swung into his view. It was a kagune tentacle. But, different. It looked like a long, slithering centipede. However, it wasn't the same as the ones he had sprouted when he had fought that Investigator in Kanou's lab.

It had a hard, shining black carapace surrounding it. The tip had three long stinger-like points. Two were shorter, but one of them was long. and curved. The whole kagune was lined with what looked like a sliver of his normal kagune. Kaneki shook his head.

It wasn't ready yet. He retracted it back into his back, calmer than he had ever felt. There was a deep resolve within him. Nothing could stop him. He was done with the questions he had posed to himself all his life. It was almost funny, how clear everything was now. He howled into the night, screaming his challenge unto the whole world.

" _ **I AM A GHOUL!"**_

* * *

 **Well then. That was certainly interesting. I didn't plan for this chapter to be psychological, but I guess I am just the instrument that is being used to write the story. A quick note for you guys. I didn't really like Kaneki's battle suit in the manga, so when you're imagining the story in your head, and I mention it, I mean the one he wears in the anime. Underneath that, he has his weird tights. Just thought I should mention that. Well, whatever. Hope you guys are ready for some seriously long combat chapters. Until then!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright. Those of you who are here for plot are going to have to hang on tight for these few chapters. Those of you who are here for the extreme fight scenes, your time has finally come. Now, let's see how this goes. Enjoy!**

* * *

Twas the night before the presumed battle. Ayato had been right. The 20'th Ward had been evacuated the day before. There were a few investigators prowling around, probably looking for any stragglers. Kaneki stood on the top of one of the taller steel buildings, familiarizing himself with his surroundings. Not that he had to. This was his home. He knew it almost as much as he knew himself.

Well, then again, he didn't know himself very well. Perhaps that was a bad analogy.

Kaneki wore his black battle suit, with his tighter fitting one underneath it. He also wore his mask, although he didn't need it quite yet. But he figured he'd be wearing it for a while. Might as well get used to it. He heard footsteps behind him. He turned his head, his one visible eye calm but serious.

Touka was there, her head bowed. Kaneki acknowledged her with a nod.

"So, you'll be leaving now, then?" he inquired, quietly. Touka nodded.

"I'm leaving now, actually. I just wanted to ask you something-" Touka stopped as Kaneki held up a hand.

"I know what you're going to ask, Touka. I've already made up my mind. You can't stay," he said. Touka's face reddened slightly, but she smiled.

"You know what I'm going to say before I say it, huh? I guess I should expect it, after all this time," she chuckled. Kaneki did not. But Touka wasn't finished.

"Don't die, Kaneki." His composure fell slightly. He turned his head back around.

"I can't promise anything." Suddenly, he felt Touka's arms around him, as she sobbed into his back. She had almost thrown them both off the building.

"Damn it, Kaneki! If you die, I'll be left with nothing. Not even a child to remember you by. But even if you do come back, don't lose yourself again. I don't want you to return a heartless monster. Please, I couldn't bear to see the last shred of the old you disappear forever. It would break me." She cried uncontrollably. Kaneki softened, taking her in his arms.

"Touka, listen to me. I'm going to bring Karena back, no matter what it takes. Even if it means destroying everything I am. But I'll hold onto it until the very end. I'm Ken Kaneki, and that will never change. Ghoul. Human. What does it matter? I won't die," he told her, pulling his mask down to his neck. He kissed her like it was the last time. And for all he knew, it might be. They stood there for what seemed to be an eternity. Then Touka pulled away, preparing to go. Before she went inside however, Kaneki turned to her.

"I love you, Touka," he said solemnly. She turned to him, her eyes glistening, a huge smile on her face.

"I love you too, my Eyepatch."

And she was gone.

Kaneki readjusted his mask, then waited for his assistants to show up. It didn't take long. Koma and Irimi both showed up, right on time. Koma was wearing a red mask that looked a lot like a demonic ape. Irimi just looked like a black dog. They both brought a small group of ghouls that wore the same masks as them. About thirty or forty people.

"Well, it looks like everything's ready. You guys remember the plan then? Do exactly as I told you. If you see my daughter anywhere. Come tell me, immediately," he said, motioning towards the buildings surrounding them. Then, he spoke only to his two fellow coffee makers.

"They'll lay down their lives for you, right?" he asked, pulling them close. They both nodded. Good.

"Then let's begin. Koma, you go down the East path. Irimi, the West. I'll take everything else. Good luck."

And so they left as well. Kaneki was left alone once more. Hopefully, his plan worked. On the building he waited.

The CCG arrived first, on the West side of the Ward. It looked like they were preparing to fight. Kaneki paid them no mind. There would be no point to attack them while he was the only threat. He'd wait for the chaos to ensue.

There were only a few hours until dawn. Aogiri Tree appeared as well, on the Northeast side. It looked like the CCG definitely had more men. Interesting. Kaneki cracked his finger.

It didn't take too long for the battle to begin. It started with a few skirmishes, and escalated from there. Within an hour, a full war was underway. And this was when Kaneki chose to make his move.

He dropped from the building, leaping off the wall at the last moment to soften the blow. He landed unharmed, brushing off the dust from his suit.

He ran on top of a few buildings, never tiring. For a few minutes, everything was relatively calm. He reached a calmer part of the Ward, where he found a small encampment of CCG soldiers.

There were three of them. They were hanging around a small garage, as a small camp. They were probably using it to watch for ghouls. Kaneki's eyes narrowed. This was where the first part of his plan began.

He leapt off the building, landing a few feet from one of the soldiers. Before the man could react, he had grabbed him and slammed him against the wall, breaking a few bones and knocking the man unconscious. The other soldiers were stunned for a few moments. Kaneki punched through the second man's abdomen, before throwing him onto the floor, out cold as well.

The third soldier tried to run. A single red kagune shot out of his lower back, wrapping around the man's ankles and dragging him to Kaneki, where he dangled in the air, his face a few inches from Kaneki's.

"No formalities. What's your name, and do you have any way to contact the command office at the edge of the Ward?" Kaneki asked, calmly. The man was shaking uncontrollably.

"Y-y-yes! I have an earpiece. And my name is Koshinuke," he stuttered. Kaneki nodded.

"Give it to me," he said, tightening his hold on the man's ankle. The soldier gave it to him without a struggle. Kaneki attached it to his ear. He pressed and held a button on the earpiece, connecting him to the CCG's main command branch on the other side of the Ward.

"Hello, sir. This is Koshinuke. I have just run into a small group of ghouls. I've dispatched them, but my two comrades are down. Please send medical help immediately. I am fine however. I will be going onward." Kaneki almost stopped there, but he was not 'dismissed.'

"Koshinuke. Your voice sounds different. Are you alright?" the voice on the other end asked. Kaneki had expected this.

"Yes, I am fine. One of the attacking ghouls tried to slash my throat. I barely avoided the attack, but he did graze my throat. My voice is a bit damaged, unfortunately. Hopefully, it will heal." The voice didn't sound too convinced, but he dropped the matter.

"We'll send a dispatch to get your comrades. As for you, if you are still able to fight, go find another squadron and join their ranks. We'll see you on the other side, Koshinuke."

And the conversation was over. Kaneki released the button. He pulled the man closer to his face.

"Alright, Koshinuke. You're going to run away now. I'm going to let all three of you live. If you say anything to anyone about this, I will find you. Now go," he growled, throwing the man to the floor and retracting his kagune. When the soldier turned around, Kaneki was gone.

Kaneki was walking now. Past some taller buildings. He had the earpiece now. So if the CCG saw anything about a little girl, or any powerful ghouls, he would hear about it. He looked around. So far, there was no one around. He went further on.

Suddenly, a crystallized shard flew towards him. He saw it at the last moment, stumbling back to avoid the projectile. He looked to see where it had come from. It was on the roof.

There were two cloaked ghouls. There was one on both roofs, to the left and right of Kaneki. Something was strange, however. The ghoul on the left wasn't wearing a mask. It was if he had no regard for his own well being.

It was a young man. He had long, messy white hair, with black lips. He looked extremely haggard. What bothered Kaneki the most was the kakugan in his left eye. A half-ghoul? This wasn't good. The ghoul on the right looked uninterested. He just sat on the roof, his legs dangling.

The unmasked ghoul leapt from the roof into the air, releasing his kagune. Two flaming wings sprouted from his back, shooting projectiles at Kaneki. He was fast, but Kaneki had to be faster. He avoided all the shards and backed away, moving into the open.

So he was an Ukaku type. There wasn't a huge problem there. But this was one of the only one-eyed ghouls he had ever fought, so he didn't know what to expect. Damn it! This was something he hadn't expected.

The ghoul landed on the ground a few steps away. He grinned hungrily at Kaneki.

"Oh, yesssss! You look delicious, Eyepatch! Let me get a taste!" he yelled, sprinting at Kaneki, his wings flailing around wildly. Kaneki's eyes narrowed. He sent a powerful kick to the ghoul's side, knocking him back a few paces. But he would not be deterred. Both of the large wings slashed down at him. Kaneki wasn't fast enough to dodge them.

A single tentacle shot out of his back, blocking the wings and knocking the other ghoul back. Kaneki ran at the ghoul, using the single kagune to hack and slash his way through the ghoul's defenses. The wings were a tattered mess when he had finished, and he ran the ghoul through the chest.

"Nononononono, Eyepatch! It's not that easy! It's my job to keep you busy, and I… can't… _**die yet**_!" He roared, leaping back. The wings wrapped around him, forming a cloak-like armor. His face was was also covered by a crystallized mask, not unlike a cage. Kaneki actually stepped back a pace. A kakuja?!

Before he could react, the ghoul had sent him flying backwards, only to be right behind him and send him into the air, where he was again knocked into the ground. Kaneki rolled backwards, standing up. He released another tentacle, brandishing both expertly.

He parried all of the attacks, driving his enemy back, trying to gain an advantage, but none came. His opponent was insane, so his attacks were unpredictable. Kaneki wasn't fighting at his best, but he was trying to conserve his strength. He sent two powerful strikes against his face. The first one broke the mask, and the second slashed the face open.

He was going to go forward when he saw the second ghoul drop from above. Two red Rinkaku kagune appeared, slamming into Kaneki and sending him reeling backwards. He had almost forgotten about the other one.

"Sorry, Eyepatch. Can't let you kill my comrade here. I didn't really wanna fight you, though," the hooded ghoul said, chuckling. That voice… That laugh… The blood emptied from Kaneki's face and his one visible eye widened. No. It couldn't be… The ghoul pulled back his hood, revealing a familiar face, and a pair of mismatched eyes.

Kaneki fell to his knees. How could this have happened?

 _Hide_.

* * *

 **So, the reveal. Yes, unfortunately, the truth is starting to unravel. But don't worry, there's more to come. And yes, I know. This fight scene sucked a bit. Meh, that was just a taste. Well anyway, please review any comments you have. Thanks guys!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Come on, guys! I need some input from you, my dear readers. Please grace me with your reviews, even if they're to criticize me. Now that that's over with, hope you like this latest chapter.**

* * *

 _Hide. My best friend._

Kaneki's mind ceased functioning. He could only stare at his friend, whom he hadn't seen in so long. He was a ghoul?! He was identical to Kaneki, his left eye black and glowing.

"Hide…" he managed to gasp out. His friend smiled genuinely.

"Yea, got into a bit of trouble a few days ago. Looks like I'm just like you now, Kaneki. Ha! Don't act surprised. I already knew," he said, chuckling. Kaneki got back to his feet, shaking in anger.

"Kanou…" he said through gritted teeth. Hide cocked his head.

"Yep. So he did the same thing to you, huh? Well, guess what? I got Rize's kagune too, so that would make us brothers, in a twisted sense." How was he so calm about this? Kaneki couldn't make sense of it.

"Where's Kanou then?" he asked, an edge to his voice. Hide frowned.

"Sorry, Kaneki. I was ordered not to let you pass through here. I don't want to kill you though. After all the good times we've had together, it'd be a shame to end it like this. But you know how it goes. Even brothers need to fight once in awhile." Hide raised his fists, brandishing his two kagune.

"I don't want to fight you, Hide," he said, lowering his fists. Hide's frown deepened.

"Kaneki. I don't know how this happened. I'm still having trouble accepting that I'm not a human anymore. But Eto wasn't having any of it. She broke me. Now, I need to do what I'm told. So don't make this any harder for me!" he yelled, running to Kaneki. Kaneki leapt into the air, dodging the kagune. But he had forgotten about the other ghoul.

"I'm starving, Hide! _**Let's eat!**_ " he roared maniacally. His wings slammed into Kaneki, sending him to the ground, lying on his stomach, where he was held down by Hide. Kaneki didn't move.

"I'm sorry, Kaneki. You were my best friend. But, my friend here is really hungry," he muttered. The other ghoul smiled, licking his lips.

"Don't worry, Hide. I just want one bite!" he said, bending over Kaneki, opening his mouth. Suddenly, three kagune erupted from behind him, completely destroying the other ghoul's skull, killing him instantly. Then, they slammed into Hide, blasting him through one of the buildings. Kaneki got up, retracting the kagune.

"I'm sorry this had to happen to you too, Hide. I'll find Kanou, and I'll kill him. That's all I can do." He proceeded to eat the dead ghoul, until he was finished. His strength was renewed, and he turned to see Hide walking out of the rubble, his robes in tatters.

"You don't get it, do you Kaneki. You can't protect everyone. Look at me. Look at me, Kaneki. I'm a ghoul. I want to die. I can't do this, Kaneki. Kill me!" He yelled, swinging wildly at the white-haired ghoul.

"I can't kill you, Hide. It would ruin me," he whispered, pulling Hide close. He bent to his ears.

"Hide. It's not over. You can run away from this. Remember the coffee shop we used to hang around? It was full of ghouls. Go there. When this is all over, I'll come. Then, I'll show how to live as a ghoul. It's not over for you, Hide. Run." Hide looked at him, tears streaming down his face. He broke down, then ran away.

"I'm sorry, Hide. I hope you go to Anteiku. There's still hope for you," he whispered, almost to himself. That's when he felt a huge force slam into his side. Kaneki was thrown down the entire street, breaking both his legs and slamming into the wall of a building.

Coughing up blood, he watched as his legs repaired themselves. He was alright. He could still fight whatever had done this to him. He looked across the street.

It was the Investigator that he had first fought. What was his name? Amon, if Kaneki recalled correctly. His attire was slightly off, however. He wore the typical CCG soldier's armor. On top of it however, was a long billowing cloak. It was one of Aogiri Tree's cloaks. That was odd. In his right hand he held his quinque. It was shaped like a large red cylinder.

"Eyepatch," he said, loudly enough for Kaneki to hear him. Kaneki walked forward, until he was only a few meters away from the Investigator.

"Investigator Amon," he acknowledged, nodding. Something was off. What was going on? The Investigator looked at the remains of the ghoul Kaneki had eaten.

"So, you killed Takizawa. I figured you would. You're not the same ghoul I met on that night, all those years ago. But then again, I'm not the same man I was either," he muttered, lifting his quinque.

"I knew you would come. This is it, Eyepatch. One of us will not walk away from this battle. That, I promise." Kaneki nodded again. This would be their final confrontation. Kaneki could not afford to hold back this time. Two of his kagune sprouted from his back, landing on either side of him.

Amon charged. Kaneki was caught completely off guard. The man was much faster than he was before. The quinque hit Kaneki full on, breaking his ribs. Kaneki grimaced as they fixed themselves. He couldn't let himself take this many hits. He wouldn't have the strength to save his daughter! He sprinted towards the Investigator, aiming to break the quinque he held.

His two kagune slashed downward at the man. He dodged them easily and slapped Kaneki aside again. How was he so fast?! Kaneki could feel his composure crumbling. No, not yet. He tried again, a third kagune showing itself. All three were brushed aside as Kaneki was sent into the nearest building. A pile of rubble landed on him, breaking almost every bone in his body. He yelled in pain for the first time in years. That was enough!

He broke the rubble that held him down, leaping out of the building, his bones repairing themselves as he flew. He slammed four kagune into Amon with all his strength. Amon couldn't dodge this one! Suddenly, out of nowhere, a pair of gigantic wings wrapped around the Investigator, protected him from the onslaught. Kaneki landed, his kagune ready for the first sign of provocation.

The wings receded, and they hovered behind Amon. Kaneki glared at the Investigator. Amon had an active kakugan in his right eye… How many ghouls had been created after him?!

"You… You're a ghoul too?!" Kaneki asked, retracting his kagune slightly, but not totally. Amon nodded, a somber expression on his face.

"The One-Eyed Owl took the three of us when we were heading back to CCG Headquarters. I never stood a chance against it. But, if I go back to the CCG now, then they never have to know that I'm a ghoul now. I'll be able to kill ghouls with ease now," he said, never smiling. Kaneki shook his head.

"You're deluding yourself, Amon. How are you going to hide yourself from them? It'll be impossible. Don't fight it, Amon. You can still change this world as a ghoul. Please, don't make me fight you," Kaneki said, his grey eye staring into the Investigator's red one.

"That's not your choice, is it, Eyepatch? Now that I'm a monster, I've come to see how you feel. Especially you, Ken Kaneki." Kaneki actually took a step back. Amon noticed.

"Yes, all the pieces came together when I realized that a human could become a ghoul like this. You were the boy that had his organs replaced with a ghoul's." So he knew. That just wouldn't do.

"Well then. I can't let you go back to the CCG. For both your safety and mine," he said, flipping his kagune over to point to Amon. The Investigator's eyes narrowed.

"And you're going to bar my way? I'm not human anymore, Eyepatch. You won't be able to stop me this time!" he yelled, slashing at Kaneki with his wings and trying to slap him around with his quinque. Damn. He was using both weapons at once. But Kaneki had to be stronger! He ran through Amon's abdomen with one of his tentacles, then ripped it out. He then proceeded to bash his way through the Investigator's iron defense.

Amon stumbled back, holding his bleeding abdomen. However, he was chuckling. Kaneki readied himself. Who knew what this man was capable of now?

"You can't stop me, Eyepatch. I'm going to go back to being an Investigator! I won't let this setback stop me from ridding the world of your kind!" he roared, as his wings grew larger. Kaneki couldn't take it anymore. Who was he trying to fool?

"You're one of us now, Amon! Let go of your contempt for ghouls before it destroys you!" he cried, trying desperately to stop the man from regenerating. He kept attacking, until Amon was on his knees, covering himself with his kagune.

"Why me…?" Kaneki stopped his onslaught as he heard these words. He got down to the man's level.

"This world is cruel, Amon. You are also a victim of it. As am I. That doesn't mean we need to destroy each other. This isn't our fault. Please. Let it go," he said, trying to get through to the man. But he wasn't listening.

"The bird fights its way out of the egg… The egg is _**the world**_ … One who would be born, _**must first destroy a world!**_ " Amon cried, as the wings created an armor on him. Kaneki leapt back. Not another one! Amon stood, his back hunched. His face was completely covered by a blue mask, shaped like a cross.

Kaneki never had time to react. One second, he was staring at the half-kakuja. Then, he looked at himself. There was a gaping hole in his chest, filled by the blade of Amon's arms. Kaneki never even felt it. What he did feel was the quinque slam into him. It was so strong that he was blasted through several buildings. He could hear Amon's insane mutterings far away.

How? He lay in the rubble, struggling to get up. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move. He was crushed, battered, and broken.

He had lied to Touka. He was going to die, without ever seeing Karena. His vision blurred. Whether it was from his battered state or from his tears, he couldn't say for certain. He slowly lifted his hand to his right ear, where the earpiece was. Miraculously, it was still intact. He pressed the button.

"Hello, Koshinuke. What do you need?" the voice asked from the earpiece. Kaneki didn't want to die like this, forgotten. He breathed in.

"This isn't Koshinuke," he gasped, holding his bleeding body. The voice sounded surprised.

"Who is this? Are you alright, soldier?" he asked, concerned. Kaneki shook his head, forgetting in his pain that the person on the other side couldn't see him.

"This is the Eyepatch," he muttered. For a moment, he thought the man had hung up, but he was still there. When he responded, the voice was less kind. It was cruel.

"What do you want, Eyepatch?" it spat at him. Kaneki grimaced.

"I don't want anything, sir. I'm dying. I just wanted to apologize…" he coughed out, holding back his tears. The man sounded extremely surprised and confused.

"Apologize for what, ghoul?!" he yelled.

"I'm sorry… that I couldn't… save… Amon…" he cried.

"Investigator Amon?! What happened to him?!"

"He and… Takizawa… and… Nagachika… were kidnapped by the One-Eyed Owl…"

"What are you going on about?!"

"They were turned into ghouls, by having ghoul organs implanted into them," Kaneki whispered. The man almost didn't hear him.

"And how do you know this?" he said silently.

"Because I… I… I suffered the same fate… My name… is… Ken… Kaneki… I was… the boy at the construction site… I had ghoul organs put inside of me… by Kanou… I was a human… But he turned me into a monster…"

The line was silent for a moment.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You… don't… You… need to trust… me… Please… I'm begging you… Stop Kanou… Don't let anyone else… become a monster… like me… I never killed a human… I never will… Please…" Kaneki was crying uncontrollably now. No one should have to suffer his fate!

"Ken Kaneki. It goes against my every principle to say this, but I believe you. You may be a ghoul, but you were a human before that. And you're right. No one should have to suffer like you did. And thank you, for telling me about Kanou, and for not killing any of our kind. I hope you can go peacefully, knowing that we do not judge you any longer. You did what you had to do to survive in this world. Maybe we should look at ghouls more closely now. Thank you," the voice answered. Kaneki almost released the button, but the man had one more thing to say to him.

"Die bravely, Ken Kaneki, the Eyepatch."

The line went dead. Kaneki took the earpiece off, and broke it in his hand. What a way to go. He couldn't protect anyone, in the end.

It wasn't fair. After everything he'd gone through, he was going to die, beaten into the dust. He clenched his fists.

No. He still had one, final card to play. Touka had told him not to lose himself in the battle, but there was no other way now. He'd get Karena back, even if he had to go through all of Aogiri Tree, and the CCG. He felt his body changing as his centipede kagune slowly slithered from his back.

 _ **"**_ All the _**detriment**_ in this _**world s**_ tems from a lack of _**individual ability…**_ 993… 986… 979… I need to _**protect**_ …" He clawed at the ground, writhing in agony and pleasure at the same time as every bone was repaired and strengthened.

"I need… to _**protect**_ …"

" _ **Everyone!**_ "

* * *

 **Well, there you go. I was feeling inspired, so I wrote this chapter early too. Please tell me what you think! Thanks, guys!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello again, my dearest readers! Thank you for your comments! They make me feel good about my writing. So, let's continue, shall we? As always, enjoy!**

* * *

"Can someone please tell that brat to shut up?" Ayato muttered, sitting on some rubble. Aogiri had held off the CCG pretty well so far. Ayato hadn't really felt the need to fight yet. So he sat with Eto and Tatara. Noro was also there, holding the little brat that Eto had taken from Kaneki.

"Where's my daddy?! Where's my mommy?!" she shrieked. It was really starting to get on Ayato's nerves. However, Noro seemed to be indifferent to her cries. It was almost like he cared. But that was impossible. He ignored it.

Suddenly, someone came out of one of the street corners, walking towards them. Ayato stiffened, then relaxed again when he realized that it was the new ghoul. Amon, if he remembered his name correctly. Ayato's memory wasn't very good…

"I saw the Eyepatch," he said, methodically. Eto perked up.

"And…?" she pressed, looking for an answer. Amon shrugged.

"We fought. I defeated him easily. I sent him into a building. He's probably dead," he muttered. Eto sagged a little bit.

"Well, there goes my little toy. Good job though, Amon. I didn't expect you to be this powerful so soon. But there was something about Kaneki… Ah well. At least we don't need to worry about him anymore. Any chance that he survived?" she asked, slightly concerned. Again, he shrugged.

"Barely. But even if he did, he wouldn't be in any shape to fight. And even if he was, and he came for us, I could defeat him again. Easily," he said, a blank expression on his face. Eto was pleased with his answer.

"I assume you had to finish him as a kakuja?" she inquired. Amon nodded.

"Perhaps I went a bit overboard. But I did as I had to do, so there are no regrets here."

"Good. Tatara, if you could please go and see how we're doing against the Doves, that would be lovely." Tatara stood up, wiping dust off of his long white robes.

"Of course, Eto." And he was gone. Meanwhile, the child continued to scream. Eto turned to her, a smile on her bandaged face.

"Oh, Karena. Your daddy's gone. You're mine now," she said sweetly. But the little girl shrieked even louder.

"No! My daddy's gonna come very soon. You'll see!" she yelled, choking on her tears. Her next scream was in pain as a crystal shard embedded itself in her arm. Eto got close to her face, her voice hissing in annoyance.

"Next time, we'll take the _whole_ arm off. So you'd better behave!" she whispered, scaring the little girl. She stopped screaming, sucking in her tears.

Suddenly, a horrible screech erupted from nowhere. The ghouls covered their ears. What was that sound? It was agonizing to hear. The whole Ward could probably hear it.

The nearest building to them collapsed as an enormous black kagune sped towards them. Eto noticed it in time, she leapt out of the way, narrowly avoiding the attack. It was an interesting kagune. It glowed black, and it had long, pointed pincers at the ends. What looked like hundreds of large centipede legs covered opposite sides of it, forming blades.

It went for Noro. The strange ghoul didn't even try to dodge it. He was ripped in half, parts of his body being sent in every direction. He reformed several meters away, leaving Karena at the kagune's mercy. But it didn't attack. It wrapped around the little girl gently, pulling back. It went back to its source, which was a figure standing across the street.

A hand was raised to chest level. The figure cracked it's pointer finger. Eto couldn't tell who it was, though she had an idea. She ran closer, then stopped. A sinister smile appeared on her face. This was definitely… _interesting_.

The ghoul had retained his slim form, even in a full-kakuja state. His body was covered in a purple-black armor, while his face was covered in a long mask. It didn't cover all of the ghoul's face. It had a long, beak-like object that pointed at the bottom. His actual face was the most interesting part, however. On the left side was a kakugan. On the right, a normal eye without a pupil. In the middle however, was another kakugan. White hair was present, and it billowed in the wind. The sides of his body, arms, and legs were covered in sharp, blade-like centipede legs. Behind him were his two centipede kagune, which could apparently change size. Now, they were average size. He looked at Eto, cracking his finger again.

" _ **Why don't you… get the fuck away from… my daughter…**_ " Kaneki said, his voice raspy. It was almost robotic. Amon stepped forward, the quinque in his hand.

"Still here, Eyepatch? Eto, may I have this pleasure?" he addressed the bandaged ghoul. She seemed distant, and it took her a moment to respond.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. You may. I'm eager to see how our little friend here has changed," she muttered. She sat down, eager to watch the fight. Kaneki held a hand up, then knelt down to Karena, a smile on his twisted face.

" _ **Daddy's here now, Karena. You stay out of the way now, okay?**_ " He put a hand on her head. She put one of her small hands on his uncovered cheek.

"Daddy? What are you going to do?" she asked, still confused. Kaneki stood up straight, looking at Amon, his head cocked.

" _ **I'm going to keep the monsters away…**_ " he said. Karena ran to a building, wanting to watch.

Amon charged, swinging the quinque. Kaneki didn't move. The weapon came crashing down on him. Amon smiled. He couldn't dodge this. It was too late.

Suddenly, Amon stood alone. Where had he gone? He looked at his quinque. It had completely shattered in his hand! The Investigator looked at it with disbelief. When had the white-haired ghoul moved?!

He felt a rush of wind behind him. A centipede kagune sprouted from his chest, and he coughed out blood. He could feel himself being pulled towards Kaneki. Suddenly, he felt a cold voice hiss in his ear.

" _ **Tell me, Amon. What's 1000 minus 7?**_ " he whispered, before ripping the kagune out of the man's chest and backing away. Amon was angry now. His kagune erupted from his back as his kakuja enveloped him.

He flew at Kaneki, swinging wildly at him. Kaneki dodged everything, but to Amon's vision, he was always standing still. How could he be so fast?!

" _ **993… 986… 979… 972…**_ " he screamed, slicing Amon in half at the waist. He fell to the ground, screaming in agony. In the midst of his screams, he heard laughter. Terrible, ruthless laughter. It came from Kaneki. He waited for the crazy ghoul to finish him off. His legs had regenerated, but it would be a few seconds before he was able to use them. Instead, he felt his shadow over him as Kaneki bent over him.

"So this is how it ends…" he whispered, tears streaming down his face. Kaneki put his mouth to the Investigator's ear.

" _ **Run… And never come back…**_ " he whispered. They stayed like that for a few moments. Then, Amon sprinted away, crying like a madman. Eto cried with glee.

"Oh my, Kaneki! How you've grown! It's amazing!" she shrieked in pleasure. Kaneki turned his head to her.

" _ **I never wanted to kill anyone… But for you, I'll make an exception…**_ " This seemed to make Eto even happier.

"Ooh, a tough guy now, huh? Well then, let's see how you do!" she cried, her kagune sprouting from her upper back and covering her. Kaneki waited patiently. He was going to beat her at her best.

Within seconds, Eto was gone. The One-Eyed Owl stood in her place. Kaneki readied himself. This would not be as easy. He sprinted at her like a flash.

His two centipede kagune slashed at her. She couldn't dodge them. She simply took the attack. It sheared through her two arms, but they regenerated quickly. Kaneki snarled. He kept on the offensive. There was no opening he could exploit. He was tiring quickly. Suddenly, the Owl smashed into him, sending him into a wall. He fell, clutching his side.

" _Do not worry, Kaneki. You have the power to drive back evil. You must just wait for it to reveal itself."_

" _I'll try…" Kaneki muttered. The manager shook his head, still smiling._

" _There is no need for you to try. Wait. When you need it most, it will come forth, more powerful than a hurricane."_

Kaneki could feel it rising up within him. He was in pain, all over his body. Suddenly, his kakugan widened in agony.

" _ **Aaaaaauuughhhhh!**_ " he roared. His lower back exploded as two more centipede kagune erupted. They flailed wildly. But Kaneki was still in pain. What was left?! He started vomiting, unable to hold it in.

" _All the detriment in this world stems from a lack of individual ability."_

" _I'm going to let this little guy run around in your ear for a little bit."_

" _You're a hypocrite."_

" _What's 1000 minus 7?"_

" _What's 1000 minus 7?"_

" _ **What's 1000 minus 7?!**_ "

His four ordinary kagune shot out if his back, one by one. Eight kagune now wriggled around him. The One-Eyed Owl watched with increasing interest.

" _ **Amazing, Kaneki! Come now! Join me! Succeed me! Become the One-Eyed King!**_ " she roared, charging at him. Kaneki yelled, his power erupting from within him. All eight of his kagune slammed into the charging ghoul. It was so fast, she never even saw them coming. She was smashed through several buildings, through several streets, before she eventually landed, her kakuja ripped apart. What had happened?

Kaneki was there, on top of the building, watching her. His mask was gone. There was nothing covering his face now. It was ironic, she thought. He had been trying to show his true self while wearing a mask. It was now that his true power had been unleashed, and he needed no mask to hide behind now. When he spoke, there was incredible authority and power behind him.

" _ **Become the One-Eyed King, you say? Why would I stoop so low?**_ " he said, his eight kagune joined by another two ordinary ones. He jumped from the building, and his face was centimeters from hers. She was completely absorbed by the kakugan in his left eye.

" _ **I am the One-Eyed God.**_ "


	10. Chapter 10

**I've gotta say, I really love this story. It's been really fun writing it so far. By the way, I've been thinking about a 'sequel' for some time now. Not many details yet. But please leave a review on your thoughts about it. If it's positive, who knows? Maybe it'll happen. Well, to the story at hand!**

* * *

Eto was frowning heavily. She wasn't sure whether she liked this Kaneki or not.

"Well, someone's being a cocky little-" she never got to finish. A centipede kagune wrapped around her, pinning her arms to their sides. Kaneki lifted her up, squeezing the life out of her.

"What… do you think… you're doing?!" she gasped out. Kaneki pulled her to him.

" _ **Give me one good reason I should let you live…**_ " he said, his face blank. She winced at the pain.

"I made you… you bastard!" she yelled, trying to break free. He just kept evolving! How was this possible?

" _ **Fair enough,**_ " he muttered, letting her go. Now, Eto was just confused. What was wrong with him? Kaneki started to walk away.

" _ **Go, Eto. I won't kill you. At least, not now. I'm supposed to save you, and I've done my best. Goodbye…**_ " he muttered, never turning back. This pissed Eto off more than anything he could've said.

"Who do you think you are?! Come here before I kill you!" she roared, her kagune surrounding her once more. Kaneki sighed, annoyed. One of his ordinary kagune shot at her, slicing her in half at the waist. Eto fell, unable to unleash her kakuja.

He knew she'd live. But she'd be less annoying like this. He left, hearing Eto cursing his name the whole time. He ambled over to the building where Karena was. She sat there, her hands around her legs, eyes wide.

"Daddy? Is it over?" she asked, trembling. Kaneki smiled warmly, picking her up.

"Yes, Karena. I think it's over now. Do you wanna go and see mommy?" he asked, holding her close. She started crying, pulling herself close to her father.

"Yes, daddy! Please!" she sobbed. Kaneki hugged her, holding in his emotions. She must have gone through so much. He stepped out of the building, leaving the area. Eventually, he had to put Karena down, holding her hand. If any of the CCG or Aogiri met him on the road, he wanted to be able to fight.

That was when Kaneki met _him_.

It started with the sound of fighting close by. Kaneki ignored it. He simply continued walking, holding Karena behind him. He never even changed direction. He wasn't being arrogant, just… calm.

It wasn't long before he saw traces of the battle. There were dead ghouls scattered everywhere. Kaneki frowned. This must've been the CCG. Then, he looked up.

A man stood there, clothed in a long white coat. His hair was white as well. In his hand he held a long lance. His clothes were stained with blood, although he himself was untouched. He also wore glasses, but his eyes were sharp. Kaneki knew who it was before he even said a word.

This was the Death God of the CCG. The man had noticed Kaneki as well. When he spoke, his voice was almost emotionless. Almost. There was a tinge of sadness in it.

"That white hair. Those clothes. You would be the Eyepatch then. SS Rated," he muttered, almost to himself. Kaneki acknowledged the statement, nodding at the Investigator.

"You've been an interesting ghoul, to say the least. You're powerful, but not overwhelming. As a kakuja, you are named the Centipede. I am Investigator Arima. I do have some questions, before you attack me. First, why aren't you wearing a mask?" he inquired, pushing his glasses up. Despite himself, Kaneki had to admit, he automatically liked the Investigator.

"I still have it. There's really no reason to wear it right now though," he answered, his voice carrying. Arima nodded.

"Who is the little girl standing behind you?" he inquired, nodding at the small figure clutching at her father's legs. Kaneki looked down at her.

"My daughter. I came here to retrieve her. She had been taken from me by Aogiri, to force me to fight," he said, a hand on her shoulder. Again, Arima nodded.

"It seems that the pieces are falling together. You called the command center using one of our earpieces, correct?" Kaneki nodded, confirming the statement. Arima crossed his arms, his lance stuck in the ground.

"You said that you were dying, among other things. Was that a lie then?" Kaneki shook his head. This was taking longer than expected.

"I really did think that I was going to die. And I wanted to warn you about Amon. However, I did manage to regenerate in time," Kaneki said.

"If what you said is all true, that means that you are indeed Ken Kaneki. You were the young man who was crushed by the steel beams. You had the ghoul organs implanted in you?" Arima inquired, his face showing some sympathy. Again, Kaneki nodded. Arima pulled his quinque out of the ground.

"Thank you for answering all of my questions, Kaneki. Unfortunately, this is where I must stop you. If I must be honest, I would much rather just let you go. But it is my job to bar the way for all the ghouls who attempt to escape through here. The last real question is, how long will you last against me?" Kaneki smiled, stepping forward.

"That's funny. I was just thinking the same thing…"

Arima charged at him. He was certainly quick, for a human. His lance was raised, aiming for his left eye. Kaneki lunged to the right, a single red tentacle slithering out of his back, blocking the strike. Arima almost looked surprised.

There they fought, fencing with their respective weapons. Arima was completely on the offensive, striking faster than the human eye could see. Kaneki had surprise on his side, however. Arima had not expected him to be able to counter his attacks to easily. After one particularly hard hit, Kaneki leapt back, landing on the balls of his feet. Arima stood where he was, never even breathing hard.

"This is certainly interesting. You are SS Rated. Yet you are able to match me blow for blow with only one kagune present. You are a Rinkaku, if I am not mistaken. You should be able to use more than one kagune at a time. That must mean that you are holding back," he said. Kaneki was almost impressed. This Investigator was certainly in a league of his own.

"I don't want to kill anyone. Please, may I pass?" Kaneki pressed. But Arima simply raised his hand to his earpiece, pressing the button.

"This is Special Investigator Arima. Please send Squad Arima to my coordinates immediately. Thank you," he said, releasing the button. Kaneki let him do so. He wanted to see how this would unfold.

"You could have stopped me while I called for assistance. What drives you, Ken Kaneki…" he muttered. Kaneki shrugged in answer.

It didn't take long for the Investigators to show up. There were six of them, but everything else was concealed from Kaneki. They wore the same coats as Arima, but they had hoods on. They all had identical, sword-like quinques.

They surrounded Kaneki, weapons ready. One of them, a man, called to Arima.

"You called for us, Special Investigator Arima? What did you need?" he asked. Arima joined them.

"This ghoul, the Eyepatch, was giving me a hard time. So I wanted to see what kind of power he was withholding." This earned shocked silence from the Investigators. Something had given Arima a _hard time_?! But the Eyepatch was only SS Rated… Kaneki looked around at them.

"So these are the best Investigators the CCG has to offer. Alright then. Let's see how this goes," Kaneki said, his left eye blackening as his kakugan revealed itself. The Investigators charged, all at once.

Kaneki's single kagune wrapped around him, defending him from the onslaught for a time. Then, he unraveled it, letting it swing into all of the attackers. All but one were to dodge his attack. Two came from behind him. A second kagune emerged, barring their way. He leapt into the air, grabbing onto one of the buildings.

A third kagune joined the pair, lashing out at the Investigators. They dodged his attacks with what seemed like ease. Perhaps, he should actually take the humans seriously. He jumped off the building, unleashing yet another kagune. The four tentacles slammed down upon the Investigators, knocking three into the wall, unconscious.

That was half of them gone. He landed, putting his kagune into a defensive position. The conscious Investigators were baffled at Kaneki's speed and power. Arima however, was the only one noticeably calm. There was silence for what seemed like an eternity.

"You may pass, Eyepatch," Arima said, stepping out of the way. Kaneki stood there for a few moments, unsure whether this was a ruse. No one moved. Then, Kaneki sighed. His kagune retracted back into his kakuhou.

He grabbed his daughter, before attempting to walk past Arima. The tall white-haired Investigator stopped him, however. He walked up to Kaneki, putting an arm on his shoulder in a non-threatening way. He pressed something into his hand. Kaneki looked in his hand to see a CCG earpiece. Arima whispered in his ear:

"Kaneki. I have noticed that although you seem to have no problem killing ghouls, you prefer not to kill humans. I am extremely grateful for this. It seems that the CCG judges all ghouls without knowing them. Please, call me. I have a proposition for you. Goodbye," he whispered, walking away. Kaneki was shocked.

He recovered quickly, letting the stunned Investigators leave with their squad leader. He then picked Karena up again, leaving the Ward…

* * *

"Where could they be?!" Touka muttered impatiently, flipping through the channels on the television, hoping for some news on the battle in the 20'th Ward.

They were staying at one of Yoshimura's many places of residence around Tokyo. They were all around, watching the Tv as well. They heard a knock on the door. Touka leapt up, running to open it.

In the doorway stood Koma and Irimi, alone. They looked upset. Touka's heart sank.

"Where's Kaneki?!" she yelled, pressing them for answers. They only shook their heads.

"Both of our gangs were completely slaugh-" Touka cut Irimi off.

"No one cares about them! Where's my husband?! Where's my daughter?!" she roared, almost in tears.

That was when she appeared in the doorway.

"Moooommmyyyyyy!" Karena cried, running to her mother. Touka almost broke down right there. She scooped her daughter up, hugging her tightly. Before she could ask any questions, she heard a familiar cracking sound outside. She ran out, and there he was.

His clothes were almost completely torn, held together only by a few threads. She looked at him for a few moments, trying to discern if anything was different about him. The only thing that she could see was his posture. He carried himself in a different way. He looked taller, prouder, and altogether more powerful. She didn't care.

"Didn't I tell you so, Touka? We're back," he whispered, holding her and Karena both. They stood there for many minutes.

Eventually they went inside, where Kaneki would tell his tale to all. They never slept that night, as they always pressed Kaneki for details. However, a few things were kept from them. Things he wanted to tell Touka in private.

He kept to himself about his newfound strength, and of Arima's strange message. He still held the earpiece in his hand, and looked at it occasionally.

Maybe he would call the Investigator. Maybe…

Meanwhile, he sat there, content to be with the people he loved, and confident that he had the power to keep all the evils away from them.

He was the One-Eyed God. No, he was the Eyepatch before anything else.

 _He was the Eyepatch, and he had no limits._

* * *

 **And thus, the story ends. But fear not, dear readers. Please, tell me if you enjoyed the story. If I get enough positive feedback, I shall write a SEQUEL. But that is a story for another time. Now it is time for this tired writer to rest… Until next time. I love you all, and thank you for all your support.**


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